Privacy Policy

General

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller’s Web site is for informational purposes only and is offered as a convenience for our customers. We make no warranty or guarantee regarding the accuracy or reliability of the content on this site. The Clerk & Comptroller’s office shall not be liable for errors or for any damages in connection with the use of the information appearing on this or other referenced websites.

This website does not provide legal advice. Please contact a qualified attorney for guidance about a particular legal issue.

By using the information, services and products available through this website, you agree to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of use as set forth herein.

The terms and conditions set forth in the PPTOU may be updated from time to time without notice to you. It is your responsibility to review it from time to time to be aware of any such change. Your continued use of this service will indicate your agreement to any such change.

Public Records

Florida has a very broad public records law. As a result, any written communication created or received by Bay County Clerk & Comptroller officials and employees will be made available to the public and media, upon request, unless otherwise exempt. Furthermore, under Florida law, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact our office by phone or in writing.

Collection of Personal Information

When you engage in activities on this site, you may be asked to provide certain information about yourself by filling out and submitting an online form. It is completely optional for you to engage in these activities.

Depending upon the activity, some of the information that we ask you to provide is identified as mandatory and some as voluntary. If you do not provide the mandatory data with respect to a particular activity, you will not be able to engage in that activity online. Instead, you will need to use a non-Web option for transacting that business with the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller.

Protection of Your Personal Information

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller recognizes and appreciates the importance of responsible use of information collected on this site. Information may be saved for a designated period of time in order to comply with the State of Florida’s archiving policies. However, information will not be disclosed to third parties or other government agencies, unless required by state or federal law.

Use of Cookies

When you visit the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller’s Web site, you can surf the site anonymously and access information without revealing your identity. In order to improve our site, we may use “cookies” to assist your visit. A cookie is small amount of data that is transferred to your browser by a Web server and can only be read by the server that gave it to you. It can function as your identification card, recording your passwords, purchases, and preferences. However, it cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses.

Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies. You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, giving you the chance to decide whether or not to accept it.

For some Web pages that require an authorization, cookies are not optional. Users choosing not to accept cookies will probably not be able to access those pages. While certain Web pages use cookies to assist your visit to the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller Web site, and while our Web servers automatically log the IP address of your computer, this information does not identify you personally, and you remain anonymous unless you have otherwise provided personal information to a specific Web page.

User Accounts

When registering to use a feature, it is solely your responsibility to keep your private account information, such as username and password, secure. You must not disclose your private account information to anyone except other authorized persons.

You are entirely liable for all activities conducted through your account. You agree to immediately notify the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller of any unauthorized use of your account or any breach of security.

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller will never ask you for your password in an unsolicited phone call or in an unsolicited e-mail. Also remember to sign out of your account and close your browser window whenever you have finished your work.

Security

Data transmission over the Internet is not guaranteed to be 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information transmitted to us or received from our online products or services. Once we receive a transmission, we make our best effort to ensure it is secure on our systems.

Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for all charges associated with connecting to the Internet. You agree that any telephone or other communications fees and charges incurred are your sole responsibility.

Prohibited Uses

As a user of the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller’s website, you agree to use this service only for its lawful, intended purposes. Use of this service for transmission, distribution, retrieval, or storage of any information, data, or other material in violation of any applicable law or regulation is prohibited. You also agree not to use the service to:

Provide false information or to impersonate someone else;
Distribute computer viruses, worms, or any software intended to damage or alter a computer system;
Violate any applicable local, state, national or international law.

System and Network Security

Violations of system or network security of the service are prohibited, and may subject you to criminal and/or civil liability. The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller will investigate potential security violations, and may notify applicable law enforcement agencies if violations are suspected.

You may not attempt to circumvent the authentication procedures or security of any host, network, network component, or account to access data, accounts, or systems that you are not expressly permitted to access.

You may not interfere or attempt to interfere with service to any other user.

Violation of Terms of Use

In the event of any violation of the terms contained herein, the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller reserves the right to suspend or terminate, either temporarily or permanently, any or all services provided. Users who violate terms contained herein may additionally incur criminal and/or civil liability. The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller may refer violators to civil or criminal authorities for prosecution.

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller and its subsidiaries, affiliates, telecommunications providers, service providers, officers, employees and agents harmless from any claim, liability, loss, expense or demand, including attorneys’ fees, related to a user’s violation of the terms and conditions or the use of the services and information provided at this Web site.

Limitation of Liability

In no event will the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller, its suppliers, its service providers, or other third party affiliates be liable for any damages whatsoever including but not limited to:

Direct, indirect, incidental punitive and consequential damages arising out of the use, inability to use, or the results of use of this service;
Any Web sites linked to the service, the materials or information contained at any or all such sites;
Content anywhere on the internet, whether based on warranty, contract, tort or any other legal theory;
Including without limitation those damages resulting from lost profits, lost data or business interruption;
Aggregate liability of the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller or any of its suppliers, service providers, or third party affiliates.

In no event shall the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special and exemplary damages, or any damages whatsoever, arising from the use or performance of this Web site or from any information, services or products provided through this Web site, even if the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

If you are dissatisfied with this Web site, or any portion thereof, your exclusive remedy shall be to stop using the website.

Termination

If a user’s conduct fails to conform to the letter or spirit of these terms and conditions or if the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller believes the user’s conduct may create liability for its affiliates, then that user’s service will be terminated.

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller reserves the right to restrict access of any user of this service and may at any time in its sole discretion with or without notice and with or without cause immediately deny access to the service and may remove all account information.

Disclaimer of Warranties

This service is provided by the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller on an “as is” basis. Neither the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller nor its partners, providers, or affiliates make any representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of the service, its contents, or any information made available by or through the service.

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or any infringement. Furthermore, the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller does not warrant that use of the service will not be interrupted, available at any time or from any location, secured and error-free. Corrected defects are not warrantable and the service is not guaranteed free of viruses or other harmful components.

Jurisdictional Issues

The PPTOU shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida as it is applied to contracts entered into by residents of the State of Florida including the public records law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes). You also consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in Bay County, Florida, and you further consent to the exercise of personal jurisdiction of the courts therein.

If any provision(s) of the PPTOU is found to be contrary to law, then such provision(s) shall be construed, as nearly as possible, to reflect the intentions of the parties with the other provisions remaining in full force and effect.

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller’s failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of the PPTOU shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision unless acknowledged and agreed to by the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller in writing. You and the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller agree that any cause of action arising out of or related to this PPTOU or the service must commence within one (1) year after the cause of action arose; otherwise, such cause of action is permanently barred.

The section titles in this PPTOU are solely used for the convenience of the parties and have no legal or contractual significance. These terms and conditions constitute the entire agreement between you and the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller with respect to the subject matter herein and supersede any and all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements. You may not assign this agreement to any other party.

Office Directory

Clerk of Circuit Court Bill Kinsaul

300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401
P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, Florida 32402
Email Bill Kinsaul’s office

Administration

Phone (850) 763-9061
Fax (850) 747-5188
Email the Administration office

Appeals

Phone (850) 763-9061
Fax (850) 747-5263
Email the Appeals office

Board Finance

225 McKenzie Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone 850-767-3253
Fax 850-747-5212
bccfinance@baycoclerk.com

Jury Duty

Room 111
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 6
After 5 p.m. on the day before service call (850) 747-5176
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email the Jury Duty office

Marriage License

Room 110
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 5
Fax (850) 747-5199
Email the Marriage office

Mental Health

Room 105
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email the Mental Health office

Misdemeanor/Intake

Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5164
Email the Misdemeanor office

Recording

Room 110
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 3
Fax (850) 747-5199
Email the Recording office

Substance Abuse

Room 105
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email Substance Abuse care of the Probate office

Tax Deeds

Room 110
Phone (850) 747-5109
Fax (850) 747-5199
Email Tax Deeds c/o the Recording office

Tourist Development Tax

225 McKenzie Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone 850-747-5226
Fax 850-747-5212
tdc@baycoclerk.com

Traffic

Room 111
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 1
Fax (850)747-5163
Email the Traffic office

Value Adjustment Board

225 McKenzie Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone (850) 767-3314
Fax (850) 747-5199
Email the VAB office

Family Law/Divorce

Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 5
Fax (850) 747-5359
Email the Family Law/Divorce office

Child Support

Phone (850) 747-5112
Fax (850) 747-5359
Email the Child Support office

Domestic Violence

Room 109
Phone (850) 747-5165
Fax (850) 747-5359
Email the Domestic Violence office

Juvenile Delinquency

Phone (850) 747-5119
Fax (850) 747-5781
Email the Juvenile Delinquency office

Juvenile Dependency

Phone (850) 747-5119
Fax (850) 747-5781
Email the Juvenile Dependency office

Free Property Fraud Alert

Property Fraud Alert is a free service that alerts subscribers when a mortgage, deed or other land document is recorded in their name in Bay County’s official records. Notifications are emailed within 24 hours of the document being recorded. Sign up and start protecting your most valuable investments.

If You Receive an Alert

If a document is recorded that matches your monitoring criteria, you will receive an email and/or text alert within 24 hours. The alert will include a link to the document being recorded in the Clerk’s Official Records.

If the name and property are not yours or if you recognize the filed document, no further action must be taken.

If the property is yours, but you do not recognize the document filed, you may be a victim of property fraud.

If you believe you have been the victim of property fraud, correcting your title can be a complicated process. The Bay County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller has created this list of steps you should take immediately to correct your title and affirm your ownership.

Steps to Take for Victims of Property Fraud

Report the Crime to the Appropriate Law Enforcement Agency

Deed forgery and property fraud is a criminal act under Florida Statute 817.535. Bay County’s local law enforcement agencies take this crime seriously and have detectives on staff to investigate these crimes with the hope of bringing the fraudsters to justice. The police report that is created will be helpful to you in correcting or restoring the title on your property.

Contact local law enforcement immediately if you suspect you have been victimized

– Bay County Sheriff’s Office: (850) 747-4700
File a Complaint with the Circuit Court to Quiet Title Based on Fraudulent Conveyance (Fla. Stat. Sec. 65.091 and 817.535(8)(a))

Through this new legislation there are forms to help you remove the fraudulent document. A Complaint to Quiet Title based upon a Fraudulent Conveyance is a civil lawsuit that will request the Court to declare the offending document as fraudulent. All applicable filing fees will apply. A final judgment “quieting title” will direct the Clerk to remove the fraudulent document from the Official Record. On our website you will find instructions and a simplified form to assist you in filing a complaint to quiet title. For easy access please click here to view the form.
Record a Lis Pendens in the Official Records of Bay County

A lis pendens puts the public on notice that there is a lawsuit involving the property and helps prevent any subsequent sales or transfers of the property until the court resolves the dispute. The court case (step #2) must be filed prior to recording the lis pendens.
Contact the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector

– Property Appraiser’s Office 850-248-8401
– Tax Collector’s Office 850-248-8501

In a fraudulent recording, a recorded document may change the property owner in the Property Appraiser’s and Tax Collector’s systems. As a result, TRIM notices and property tax bills may be sent to a different address. Unpaid taxes can eventually result in the property being sold at Tax Deed Auction.
Sign Up for Property Fraud Alert

If you have not already done so, sign up for Property Fraud Alert, a free service offered by your Bay County Clerk. Property Fraud Alert notifies you within 24 hours of any documents filed that affect your property. While it cannot prevent a fraudulent document from being filed, it can allow you to respond quickly to address any problems.

Guardianship Audits and Reporting

Guardianship Audits

The Inspector General supports the Bay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller staff in an attempt to augment the court’s oversight process applicable to the protection of wards’ assets pursuant to Chapter 744, Florida Statutes.

Guardianship Reporting

Accountings should include all supporting bank statements, receipts, invoices and/or cancelled checks (if receipts are unavailable), as well as any other necessary documents for validation.

Plans should include a current Physician’s Report (unless exempt) and any other necessary supporting documentation.

Guardianship Reporting Calculator

CLICK HERE to open the Guardianship Reporting Calculator in a new tab.

Additional Resources

Probate Court Department, Clerk of Court & Comptroller

14th Judicial Website Forms

Office of Public & Professional Guardians (OPPG)

Florida Statute Chapter 744 Guardianship

Registered Professional Guardians (OPPG)

Florida Public Guardian Programs (OPPG)

National Guardianship Association, Inc.

Florida State Guardianship Association

FCCC 2021 Guardianship Audit Best Practice PDF

FCCC 2021 Guardianship Audit Best Practice – Checklist PDF

FCCC 2021 Guardianship Audit Best Practice – Appendix PDF

Search Official Records

Search Official Records Now

Search Prior to 1987

Search Older Alpha Index / Plats

By accessing these services, you agree to any terms and instructions defined below.

The Official Records Search allows you to search the entire Bay County Official Records database for final judgments, land records, and other public documents recorded after January 1st, 1987.

The search will return a list of Parties, the date the document was recorded, the type of document that was recorded, the Book type, the Book/Page and Clerk Instrument Number of the document.

The copies viewed on this website are not legal official documents. Official legal document copies are available only from the Clerk’s Official Records Department.

With information obtained online, you may easily retrieve and identify documents available at the Official Records Division of the Clerk’s Office. These documents can be obtained in the following manner:

By visiting the Bay County Official Records search page for free uncertified copies.
By contacting the Official Records Division of the Clerk’s Office (by phone (850)763-9061 opt 3 or by email recording@baycoclerk.com) and requesting that certified copies be mailed to you at a cost of $1.00 per page for copies and $2.00 for certifications.
Electronic Certifications are also available from our website by choosing the purchase certified documents option on the homepage or by following this link.
How do I obtain a certified copy of a Marriage License?
If you are local, all you need to do is come to our office (in room 110 at the Bay County Courthouse). Make sure and know both parties names and the time of the marriage and the year of the marriage. You may pay by cash or a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit or debit card. Note: if you choose to use a credit or debit card you will be charged a convenience fee.

If you are from out of town, you’ll need to send a letter requesting those copies. Be sure to include both names at the time of the marriage and the year of the marriage. Payment must be sent by money order (we do not accept checks) made payable to Bill Kinsaul, Clerk. The day we receive your request we will process it and send your certified copies back out to you. Send your request to the following address:

Bay County Clerk’s Office
ATTN: Marriage License Department
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402

Requests can also be sent via email by completing and attaching saved copies of the Marriage License Request Form and the Recording/Marriage License Department Credit Card Payment Form (both linked below). Forward the attachments to recording@baycoclerk.com for processing.

Request for Marriage Record
Recording/Marriage License Department Credit Card Payment Form

Or you may contact the Office of Vital Statistics:

Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231
904-359-6900

INSTRUCTIONS on using our Search Page – Click HERE.

Effective January 1, 2024, in accordance with Florida Statute 695.26 and the requirements for recording instruments affecting real property, the Clerk will not record an instrument by which title to real property or interest is conveyed, assigned, encumbered, or disposed of unless:
• The name of each witness is legibly printed, typewritten, or stamped immediately beneath the signature of the witness.
• The post office address of each witness is legibly printed, typewritten, or stamped on each instrument.

Property Fraud Alert

Bay County Clerk of Court offers property owners a free service to alert themselves of potential property fraud.

According to the FBI property and mortgage fraud is one of the fastest growing white-collar crimes. Scammers file fraudulent deeds making it appear as if they own the property. This type of fraud can go undetected if the property owner does not periodically check the Official Records. Although checking does not prevent the actual fraudulent activity from occurring it does provide an early warning of what may have otherwise gone undetected.

Properly Fraud Alert emails notifications to subscribers when a deed, mortgage, or other land record with their registered name on it has been recorded into the Clerk’s Official Records.

If the name and property are not yours or if you recognize the filed document, no further action must be taken.

If the property is yours, but you do not recognize the document filed, you may be a victim of property fraud.

Steps to Take for Victims of Property Fraud

Report the Crime to the Appropriate Law Enforcement Agency

Deed forgery and property fraud is a criminal act under Florida Statute 817.535. Bay County’s local law enforcement agencies take this crime seriously and have detectives on staff to investigate these crimes with the hope of bringing the fraudsters to justice. The police report that is created will be helpful to you in correcting or restoring the title on your property.

Contact local law enforcement immediately if you suspect you have been victimized

– Bay County Sheriff’s Office: (850) 747-4700
File a Complaint with the Circuit Court to Quiet Title Based on Fraudulent Conveyance (Fla. Stat. Sec. 65.091 and 817.535(8)(a))

Through this new legislation there are forms to help you remove the fraudulent document. A Complaint to Quiet Title based upon a Fraudulent Conveyance is a civil lawsuit that will request the Court to declare the offending document as fraudulent. All applicable filing fees will apply. A final judgment “quieting title” will direct the Clerk to remove the fraudulent document from the Official Record. On our website you will find instructions and a simplified form to assist you in filing a complaint to quiet title. For easy access please click here to view the form.
Record a Lis Pendens in the Official Records of Bay County

A lis pendens puts the public on notice that there is a lawsuit involving the property and helps prevent any subsequent sales or transfers of the property until the court resolves the dispute. The court case (step #2) must be filed prior to recording the lis pendens.
Contact the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector

– Property Appraiser’s Office: (850) 248-8401
– Tax Collector’s Office: (850) 248-8501

In a fraudulent recording, a recorded document may change the property owner in the Property Appraiser’s and Tax Collector’s systems. As a result, TRIM notices and property tax bills may be sent to a different address. Unpaid taxes can eventually result in the property being sold at Tax Deed Auction.
Sign Up for Property Fraud Alert

If you have not already done so, sign up for Property Fraud Alert, a free service offered by your Bay County Clerk. Property Fraud Alert notifies you within 24 hours of any documents filed that affect your property. While it cannot prevent a fraudulent document from being filed, it can allow you to respond quickly to address any problems.

Sign Up

Visit the Recording Activity Notification page to register.
Enter your personal or business name and email address.
To register a Trust, enter the Trust as a business name

Notice

On or after October 1, 2002, any person preparing or filing a document for recording in the Official Records Department may not include a social security number, a bank account, credit, debit or charge card number in such a document unless required by law.

Any person has the right to request the Clerk/County Recorder to redact /remove social security, bank account, credit, debit or charge card numbers from any image or copy of an Official Record that has been placed on the Clerk’s publicly available website.

The request must be legibly written, signed and delivered in person, by mail or by fax to the Clerk’s Official Records Department. The request must specify the identification book and page number that contains the information to be redacted. No fee is charged for this service.

You may access the link to our Forms Page to print a request form or write your own request and hand deliver to the Bay County Courthouse, Room 110. Or mail to:

Bay County Clerk’s Office
Attention Official Records
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402

Bay County Clerk’s Office
Attention Official Records
300 East 4th Street
Panama City, FL 32401

**Because of the risk of computer viruses attached to electronic signatures, this office will not accept electronic requests.

Announcing The Launch Of Our Updated Website

We are pleased to announce the launch of our updated website! After some hard work and dedication, we are delighted to officially launch the new www.baycoclerk.com which will make it easier for customers using mobile devices to navigate. Amongst the new features, the site contains buttons to file court documents electronically and to purchase certified copies of court and official records documents using a self-service portal.

We hope you find the updated website with a fresh look, easy to access information and we also wish to establish this portal as a source of information for those who visit our site.

For any questions, suggestions, feedback, or comments, please contact us.

Thank You!

eRecording Information

eRecording is the secure online submission of documents to the Clerk’s office for recording in the Official Records of Bay County. eRecording streamlines the recording process by eliminating the need to mail or deliver documents to the courthouse, saving time and money for both the Clerk’s office and you. With eRecording, you scan your document and use a third-party vendor application to upload the document and associated data. No special equipment is required – just a computer with high-speed internet access and a scanner. Funds are transferred using Automated Clearing House (ACH) for recording fees, transfer taxes, and the fee that is paid to the vendor for this process.

The Bay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller is pleased to offer e-Recording services through the following vendors:

SIMPLIFILE	Phone: 1(800) 460-5657	Contact: https://www.simplifile.com/
CORPORATION SERVICE COMPANY (CSC)	Phone: 1(866) 652-0111	Contact: https://www.cscglobal.com/
ERECORDING PARTNERS NETWORK (EPN)	Phone: 1(888) 325-3365	Contact: https://www.goepn.com/
FILE AND GO	Phone: 1(386) 845-8638	Website: https://fileandgo.com/ Email: info@fileandgo.com

Recording customers should research the vendors and determine which one best fit their needs.

Benefits of eRecording

Submit documents for recording electronically 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Expedites recording process
Increases efficiencies, streamlines work flow
Original documents never leave your possession
Reduces time delay for recording

Documents That Cannot Be eRecorded

Bonds
Certain Miscellaneous Notices
Military Discharge (DD-214)
Notices of Bond
Notices of Contest of Lien
Notices of Homestead
Plat/Maintenance/Right-of-Way Maps
Transfers of Lien to Cash or Surety Bond

Accessibility Policy

Court Proceedings

If you are a person with a disability who needs accommodation in order to participate in a court proceeding, please contact Court Administration at 850-747-5370 or email adarequest@jud14.flcourts.org.

Clerk & Comptroller’s Website

The Clerk & Comptroller, Bay County, is committed to making our website accessible to all visitors, as well as compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508 accessibility standards. Accessible Web design provides benefits to individuals using assistive technology, users with text-based browsers, low-end processors, slow modem connections or users who do not have state-of-the-art computer equipment.

If you use assistive technology (such as a Braille reader, a screen reader, TTY, etc.) and the format of any of our website material interferes with your ability to access the information, please contact Connor Vann at 850-747-5123 to be provided with further assistance. If you are hearing or voice impaired, you may call 711 and the Florida Relay Service will assist you with your call to our office.

To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of your accessibility problem, the preferred format in which to receive the material, the web address of the requested material, and your contact information.

For more information about website accessibility, we recommend the below websites.

PDF Documents

We recommend downloading the latest version of the free Adobe Reader to view PDF files. Version 7.0 and higher of this software provides a number of features that improve access for users. For further information, please visit the Adobe website.

Tax Deed Auctions

Register For Online Auctions

View Auction Calendar

View Local Sales List

View Online Sales List

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bay County Clerk of Court presents the information on this website as a service to the public. We have tried to ensure that the information contained in this electronic search system is accurate. The Bay County Clerk of Court makes no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content at this site or at other sites to which we link. Assessing accuracy and reliability of information is the responsibility of the user. The user is advised to search all possible spelling variations of proper names, in order to maximize search results.

The Bay County Clerk of Court shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for any damages in connection with the use of the information contained herein.

Tax Deed Online Auction Registration Details

Tax Deed Auction Links

Felony

NOTICE: Information or forms provided by the Clerk of Court should be considered as basic information only and may not be applicable to every situation. The information is not intended to be used as legal advice, but as basic and general information only. It is only a brief statement and does not explain all your options and/or rights. Specific guidance in answering questions about a particular situation should be directed to a qualified attorney.

A felony is a criminal offense which is punishable by imprisonment in a state facility. See Florida Statutes 775.081.

Felonies are classified as

Capital Felony
Life Felony
First Degree Felony
Second Degree Felony
Third Degree Felony

General Information on Felony Cases:

The Clerk’s Office receives the initial paperwork (Complaint and First Appearance sheet) from CCA after a felony arrest. The defendant is then first appeared, bond is set and a court date is scheduled for first arraignment.

An arraignment hearing is where the defendant is informed of the charges filed. At this time, the defendant enters a plea and pretrial date will be set.

At a pretrial hearing, the defendant may enter a plea or proceed to a trial docket.

When a defendant is sentenced, court costs and fines may be imposed. If these fees are not paid during the probation period, they become a lien of record. Being sentenced to jail or prison does not cancel the monetary obligation.

The Clerk’s Office cannot change your court date. You will need to contact your attorney in order to have the court date rescheduled. If you fail to appear for your scheduled court date, a warrant may be issued for your arrest and any bond that you posted may be forfeited. If you are arrested on a failure to appear warrant, you may be held in jail without bond.

Obtaining a Disposition of a Case:

To obtain this information you can visit the Clerk’s Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Or you may also obtain this information from the Case Search on the Clerk’s website. However, please be aware that there will be a delay of time in which the disposition will be entered into the Clerk’s Case Management System.

Requests for copies of case records shall be in writing.

You may mail your request or send your request by fax.
The average time to process your request is seven (3) to (7) working days.
The cost for copies is $1.00 per page and $2.00 per certification.
The Clerk’s Office does not take personal checks.
You may pay by Money Order, Certified Check or Cashier’s Check.

Information on How to Expunge/Seal Records:

Florida Statute 943.0585 and/or 943.059 will provide the requirements and conditions for having a criminal court case sealed or expunged from your record. Please read these statutes carefully.

If you have questions regarding your eligibility to have your records sealed or expunged, please contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

FDLE will require a completed application for the procedure which should be submitted directly to their office. Cost for such procedure is $75.00 to be paid to FDLE. Upon receipt of your application, FDLE will notify you of your eligibility.

Following notification of eligibility from FDLE, you must then prepare the proper forms required to proceed for court action. Examples of the forms required are available for review on the Clerk’s website. The fee for filing the completed forms with the Clerk’s Office is $42.00.

Locations & Contact Information

Public Defender’s Office
Herman Laramore
432 Magnolia Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone: 850-784-6155

Probation & Parole
1013 Beck Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone: 850-872-7139

State Attorney’s Office
Glenn Hess
421 Magnolia Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone: 850-872-4473

Pre-Trial Release
Catherine Weherley
Phone: 850-747-5183

Callaway Office:
850-872-7375